Siding element and method of making the same



Dec. 6, 1938. L. KIRSC'HBRAUN 2,139,620

SIDING ELEMENT AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Jan. 30, 1937 2Sheets-Sheet l L 1 1L 1| 1% WW 1 1 v w --+--L 1 7L L720 M INVENTOR 71557-5? hescwae/wlv.

ATTORNEY Dec. 6, 1938. K|RSCHBRAUN 2,139,620

SIDING ELEMENT AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Jan. 30, 1937 2Sheets-Sheet r1 .4.

5 3m Q71 /fl/fl' J W//// v A INVENTOR [Es TEE MESCl-IBf/i u/v fl! mATTORNEY Patented 6,}

UNITED STATES SlDlNG ELEMENT AND METHOD OF MAK-' mo 'rna SAME LesterKirschbraun, New York, N. r, assignmto The Patent and LicensingCorporation, New York, N. .Y., a corporation of MassachusettsApplication January 30, 1937, Serial No.123,0Q2

.7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in brick simulating siding andsimilar elements and to a method of making the same. An object of thepresent invention is to provide an improved siding element employing afibrous or similar insulating board as the base ma.-

terial. Siding elements constructed according to the invention presentthe appearance of a single course of bricks separated by transverseor'vertical mortar jointsand have means for lapping engagement withother similar elements, the lapping portions being arranged to providesimulation of horizontal mortar joints between elements of adjacentcourses, and simulations of vertical l5 mortar joints between adjacentelements in each course.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of producing a.multiplicity of siding elements of the character above described from asheet of fibrous or similar insulating board, in

which the several steps of the method are performed on the sheet priorto its separation into separate siding elements.

A further object of the invention is to pro- 535 vide a method ofprocessing a sheet of a fibrous or similar insulating board to produce amultiplicity of similar siding elements integrally connected to oneanother but readily detachable into separate elements.

By the practice of the present invention a single series of operationson a sheet of the base material such as Insulite or Masonite provides aplurality of siding elements which may be separated from one another atthe point of manufacture or which may be handled and shipped inconnected form and separated only at the place where they are to beemployed for their. intended use. One of the features of inventionresides in the provision of transverse mortar simulating joints for aplurality of elements by straight line cuts transversely across thesheet.

My improved siding element and method of making the same will be moreclearly understood and further advantages thereof will become apparentfrom the detailed description which is to follow and from theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a broken perspective view depicting a preferred form of thesiding element of my invention;

FlgureZ is a plan view of a sheet of the base material from which mysiding elements are formed showing the arrangement of grooves made inthe sheet before it is subdivided into the 55 separate siding elements;

Figure 3 is a sectional view representing an enlarged section taken onthe line 3-3 of Fig. 2 at one stage in the production of the sidingelements.

Figure 4 is a sectional view representing an 5 enlarged section taken onthe line 4-4 of Figure 2 at one stage in the production of the sidingelement. v

.Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but illustrating the manner offinally separating the sheet 10 into the completed elements; and

Figure 6 is a face view illustrating the appearance of several sidingelementsv when laid upon a. wall or similar supporting structure.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to 15 Figure 1 thereof, mynew siding element per se is shown generally at l. The siding element iscomprised of a fibrous insulating board, such as those known under thetrade name of Insulite or-Masonite, as the base material. The siding 2oelement presents, on its face to be exposed, the

appearance of a course of bricks with mortar joints therebetween. Thisappearance is imparted to the base material by a plurality of transversegrooves t which are of a depth preferably equal to one half thethickness of the base material. The grooves 33 are appropriately spacedso that the raised portions 2 between adjacent pairs of the grooves 3and as well as between an outermost groove and one end t of the element,approximate in length the length of an ordinary building brick. One end5 of the element is recessed as shown at t, the inner edge of the recessbeing Spaced from the nearest groove 3 a distance equal to the length ofa brick to be simulated. The recess 5 is substantially the same depth asthe grooves 3 but is substantially wider than the grooves and preferablyis twice the width of the grooves 3. The face of the element in whichare provided the grooves 3 and recess 6 40 also is provided with arecess 6 along one longi tudinal edge 8 thereof. The recess l ispreferably of the same depth and width as the recess 6. The recesses 6and i provide tongue receiving seats, as will be seen later, in additionto mortar 45 joint simulations between the elevated portions 2 ofadjacent elements when a plurality of the ele- 'ments are laid upon asupporting structure in the manner shown in Figure 6. The element hasformed on its other face, a recess 9 along the end 4- and a recess I Ialong the edge It. These recesses 9 and H are of a depth equal tosubstantially one-half the thickness of the base material and of a widthequal to the difference between the width of a. groove 3 and of therecesses 6 or i.

partially into the interior of the element from the faces thereof, toleave the voids in the center or core of the element substantially freeof the impregnating material and thus preserve the insulating quality ofthe fibrous board from which the elements are formed.

The entire upper surfacesof the element, and preferably including thewalls and bottoms of the grooves 3 and recesses 6 and I, are coveredwith .ment.

a coating of asphaltic material It. The elevated bri'ck simulating areas2 carry a facing of a crushed slate, or other comminuted grit I8, of anysuitable color partially embedded in the coating. A grit of acontrasting color or kind may be similarly partially embedded in thecoating on the side walls and/or bottoms of the grooves to enhance themortar joint simulating effect of the grooves.

As shown in Figure 6, a siding element of the above described,construction is secured to a supporting structure with the edge carryingthe tongues l4 lowermost. Similar elements are then laid in endwiserelationship vn'th the first element to form a course, the tongue |3 ofeach element lying within and partially overlapping the recess 6 of thenext endwise adjacent ele- Inasmuch as the width of the recess 6 isequal to the combined width of a groove 3 and the tongue l3, the end ofthe tongue l3 of each element, which is also the end of an elevatedbrick simulating area 2 of the element, will be spaced from'the endbrick simulating area of an adjacent element a distance equal to thewidth of a groove 3 to provide the simulation of a transverse mortarjoint at the adjoining ends of adjacentelements. A second course of theelements is laid with their tongues l4 lying within and partiallyoverlapping the recesses I of the elements of the first laid course.Here also, due

to the fact that the recesses I are of a width 7 equal to the combinedwidths of a groove 3 and the tongues M, the ends of the tongues H, whichalso define longitudinal edges of the elevated areas 2 of the elementsofeach course will be spaced from the brick simulating areas of eachelement of a preceding course a distance equal to the width of thegrooves 3 to provide the simulation of a horizontal mortar joint betweenadjacent courses. Further courses of the elements are laid in a similarmanner until the wall is entirely covered. The .several courses ofelements are preferably so laid so that the transverse joints betweenelements of each course are staggered with relation to the transversejoints between elements of adjacent courses and also with the simulatedtransverse mortar joints staggered with relation to the simulatedtransverse mortar joints of adjacent courses.

A wall structure or the like covered with the siding elements of thisinvention, as illustrated in Figure 6, will closely simulate theappearance of a brick wall inasmuch as the brick simulating areas willall lie substantially in the same plane, the said plane being spacedoutwardly in respect to the mortar line appearing portions therebetween.Due to the construction of the elements of such width as to simulate buta single course of bricks they may ,be readily fitted to conform withthe requirements of window casings, etc.

In the process of producing the siding elements, according to apreferred method of my invention, a sheet 20 of suitable dimensions (seeFig. 2) of a base material such as Insulite or Masonite'of fromapproximately inch to inch in thickness is scored on one face to a depthsubstantially one-half the thickness of the sheet to provide recesses 2iand 22 extending along one longitudinal edge 23 and one end edge 24respectivelyof the sheet. The widths of the recesses 2| and 22 aresubstantially greater than the width of a mortar joint as conventionallyemployed between bricks in a brick and mortar structure and arepreferably of twice the width of such mortar joint.

The face of the sheet provided with the recesses 2| and 22 is alsoscored longitudinally at spaced intervals to provide grooves 30. Thegroove 30 nearest the edge 25 is spaced from said edge a distance equalto the width of the exposed portion of a building brick and the groove30 closest to the edge 23 is spaced a similar distance from the inneredge of the recess 2|. The several grooves 30 are spaced at intervalssubstantially equal in width to the width of the exposed portion of abrick. Each groove 30 is made of a width and depth equal to the widthand depth of the recess 2|.

The face of the sheet containing the recesses 2| and 22 is also scoredtransversely to provide spaced grooves 29, each row of grooves being inalignment transversely of the sheet. The

grooves 29 nearest the edge 26 of the sheet are spaced'therefrom adistance equal to the length of the exposed portion of a building brickand the grooves 29 nearest the edge 24 are spaced a similar distancefrom the inner edge of the recess 22. The several grooves 29 of each roware spaced apart by intervals substantially equal tothe length of theexposed portion of the bricks to be simulated. Each groove 29 is made ofa width equal to that of a conventional mortar joint and of a depthequal to that of the recess 22.

The sheet is scored on its opposite face along the other side edge 25and other end edge 23 to provide recesses 21 and 28 respectively (seeFigures3 and 4). The recesses 21 and 28 are of a depth substantiallyequal to one-half the thickness of the sheet and are of a width equal tothe difference between the width of the recess 2| (or 22) and the widthof a conventional mortar joint.

The several grooves and recesses may readily be formed by means of acircular saw or other cutting device. After the completion of thesegrooving operations the sheet is impregnated with a suitable" materialsuch as a low melting point asphalt (i. e., asphalt of a -180 F. meltingpoint) or an asphalt emulsion. The saturating treatment may be such thatthe saturant will strike through the sheet from face to face but it ispreferably so controlled that it will only partially permeate the sheetto provide in effect a surface impregnation. The impregnation of thesheet in such a manner will leave the center or core unimpregnated so.that the cells or interstitial void spaces thereof will remain unfilledby the saturating material to such an extent as might materiallydecrease the insulating value of the fibrous baseslightly offsetting theedge 5! of the material.

The impregnant may be appliedto the sheet by dipping the same in a bathof the saturant, permitting the saturant to drain from the sheet andstoring the sheet in a heated atmosphere until the saturant strikes intothe surface of the sheet. In an alternative method, an impregnant suchas an asphalt cut-back may be sprayed or brushed in controlledquantities onto the surfaces of the sheet. The upper surfaceof the sheetis then coated and surfaced in any convenient manner. For example, theupper surface of the sheet (see Figure 5) may be coated with. a suitableasphaltic material such as a high melting-point asphalt or an emulsionof asphalt in water. The

coating M is extended to include the walls and preferably the bottoms ofthe grooves 29 and 30 and the recesses 2| and 22. A surfacing '42 of asuitably colored comminuted grit may be applied to he surfaces of thebrick simulatingfields and, if desired, a grit of contrasting colorand/or kind may be applied to the walls and bottoms of the grooves andrecesses.

According to an alternative method the coating 4| is permitted to dryand thereafter all the grooves and recesses on the upper face of thesheet are masked with a templet. A second preferably thicker coating ofasphalt or asphalt emulsion is applied overthe exposed portions of thesheet and the templet and prior to any substantial drying or setting ofthis coating there is applied to the coating a covering of comminutedgrit material of any suitable color and kind, the comminuted grit.material being partially \embedded in the coating. Thereafter thetemplet is removed and the granular layer is rolled lightly .before thecoating has completely dried or set and is again rolled after thesetting'is completed.

The coating and surfacing materials may be applied in any other suitablemanner in addition to the methods described above.

' After the coating and surfacing steps have been completed,the opposite(lower) face of the sheet is scored to provide longitudinally extendinggrooves as indicated at 45 which are so placed (as shown in Figure 5)that the longitudinal edge thereof furthest from the recess 2| is insubstantial alignment with the longitudinal edge nearest the recess 2|of the corresponding groove 30 on the upper face. The depths of thegrooves are preferably substantially but not quite equal to thethickness of the base-sheet less the depth of the grooves 30. At thecompletion of this grooving'operation the sheet will comprise ap'lurality of siding elements held together by thin .hinges 50 of thebase material whereby they may be handled and packedin sheet form. Thefinal separation of the sheets into individual siding elements mayreadily andconveniently take place at the place where they-are to beapplied by.

I simply tearing them apart. Howeveiyif desiredthe sheets may beseparated into the individual elements in the process of theirmanufacture by forming the grooves of sufficient depth to com pletelysever thematerial at the joining line of the grooves 30 and 45.

It may be preferable in' some cases to have the grooves 45 of such adepth that their depth combined with the depth of the grooves 30 isequal to or greater than the thickness of the sheet. In this case theintegral connection of the several elements of the sheet is provided by/2 M being integrally joined together by thin hinges- Each sidingelement will have recesses inch in depth and 1 inch inwidth groove 45 inrespect to the edge 52 of the groove 30.

-In the case where the impregnation of the sheet.

with a water-resistant material has been a surface impregnation only thegrooves 45 will exsprayed onto the walls and bottoms of the grooves;

In the practice of the method of this invention accordingxto onespecific example. thereof, an Insulite sheet inch by 14 inches by 43inches may be employed as the starting material. Oneend edge and oneside edge of one face of the sheet are provided with recesses,- asindicated at 2| and 22 in Figure 2, the recesses being M inch in depthand 1 inch in width. The other end edge and side edge are provided withrecesses on the opposite face of the sheet, as indicated at 21 and 28,each inch in depth and /2 inch in width. The upper face of thesh'eetisthen divided into four elevated longitudinally extending zones ofequal width by forming longitudinally extending grooves 30 each 4 inchin depth and l inchin width and the longitudinally extendingzones are inturn divided longitudinally into fields of equal length by fourtransversely extending grooves indicated at 29, each A and inch inwidth. After the completion of inch in depth 1 the coating andtheslatlngoperations longitudlnal grooves are provided on the opposite face ofwill readily be observed that the sheet will now comprises four sidingelements each provided with five brick simulating fields each 2 inchesby 8 inches and with mortar simulating spaces inch in widththerebetween, the four elements of the base material.

extending along one side edge and one end edge of one face thereof andrecesses 3 inch in depth.

and V inch in width extending along the other side edge and end edge ofthe opposite face thereof. The siding elements of this specific examplewhen laid upon a wall with the tongues of each element received in thecorresponding recesses of adjacent elements -will sim ulate theappearance of a brick structure in which the bricks are each 2 -inchesby 8 inches separated longitudinally and trans ersely by mortar lines Vinch in width.

It is understood that the above specific example I of the carrying outof the method of this inven-- tion is for the purpose of illustrationonly and is not to be construed in a limiting sense.

'What I claim is:

1. A sheet of a fibrous insulating board grooved,

define a plurality of siding elements, each element comprising a row ofbrick simulating fields spaced longitudinally on one face thereof tofrom one another by transverse grooves, said elements being maintainedin sheet form by thin readily severable portions extending adjacent oneboundary of each of said longitudinal grooves.

2. A sheet of fibrous insulating boardgrooved longitudinally on one facethereof to define a plurality of siding elements, each elementcomprising a row of brick simulating fields thereon separated by mortarjoint simulating spaces extending transversely along saidface of thesheet, the opposite face of the sheet being grooved longitudinally, eachof the last named grooves having one side wall thereof substantially incross-sectional alignment with one side wall of a longitudinal groove onthe first-named face, whereby said elements are severable from the sheetalong lines marking the intersection of said side walls with the bottomwalls of said grooves.

3. A sheet of fibrous insulating board as defined in claim 2, in whichthe longitudinal grooves on the first named face are wider than those onthe second named face.

4. As an article of manufacture a sheetof fibrous insulating board,spaced parallel grooves extending longitudinally along one face of thesheet, a recess extending along one longitudinal edge of the sheet,spacedparallel series of aligned grooves extending-transversely acrosssaid face of the sheet and connecting the longitudinally extendinggrooves, the longitudinally extending grooves and the transverselyextending grooves defining therebetween a plurality of brick simulatingfields, and a recess extending along one end of the sheet, the width ofthe recesses and the width of the longitudinally extending grooves beingsubstantially greater than the width of the transversely extendinggrooves.

5. A method of forming a plurality of siding elements from a sheet .of afibrous insulating material comprising forming on the upper surface ofthe sheet spaced parallel grooves extending longitudinally of the sheetand a series of spaced transversely extending grooves through each ofthe zones intervening between said longitudinal grooves, the grooves ofeach of said series being in alignment transversely of the sheet andconnecting the longitudinally extending grodves, forming recesseson onelongitudinal edge and one end edge of the sheet and separating the sheetalong one boundary of each of said longitudinally extending grooves intoa plurality of separate siding elements. 1

6. A method of forming a plurality of siding elements from asheet of afibrous insulating material comprising forming on the upper surface ofthe sheet spaced parallel grooves extending longitudinally of the sheetand a series of spaced transversely extending grooves through each ofthe zones intervening between said longitudinal grooves, the grooves ofeach of said series being in alignment transversely of the sheet andconnecting the longitudinally extending grooves, forming recesses on onelongitudinal edge and one end edge of the sheet, impregnating the sheetwith a water-resistant material in such a manner as to confine theimpregnatingmaterial to portions of the sheet adjacent the surfacesthereof and separating the sheet along oneboundary of each of saidlongitudinally extending grooves into a plurality of separate sidingelements.

7. A method of forming a plurality of siding elements from a sheet of afibrous insulating material comprising forming on the upper surface ofthe sheet spaced parallel grooves extending longitudinally of the sheetand a series of spaced transversely extending grooves extending througheach of the zones intervening between said longitudinal grooves, thegrooves of each of said series being in alignment transversely of thesheet and last named grooves having one side wall thereof substantiallyin cross-sectional alignment with one side wall of a longitudinal grooveon the firstnamed surface. I I

LESTER KIRSCHIBRAUN.

